It´s
a shame therefore, that the report,
- though right about the urgency to act -is endorsing some technologies that are not sustainable, fast to deploy
or safe. It´s simply not possible to produce the amount of bioenergy that the
report calls for sustainably, for example. And nuclear power is so expensive,
slow and dangerous, that it is simply
a distraction in the climate fight. We can do even better. The technologies are there to deliver a true Energy Revolution based
on energy efficiency and renewables. We therefore recommend that you look at
our roadmap to a safe energy future
before you rush to endorse Sachs´s.

That
said, Sachs´s call for action was overdue. So far, the High Level Political
Forum had lacked any urgency. This Forum was created at the Rio+20
Summit two years ago. It is supposed to give greater weight to development that
does not cost the earth or our future. And it is supposed to check on
governments actually implementing the (however inadequate) commitments made at
Rio. Including new Sustainable
Development Goals, which governments are set to agree by September 2015. So
far, though, we see no sign of the High Level Political Forum having the gravitas
and importance to really hold governments to account on sustainable
development. To the contrary, we hear of wrangling behind the scenes in which some
governments try to weaken the High Level Political Forum further …

It
would be easy to despair at such news. But meeting at the UN are never just
about what is formally being negotiated. As the media
coverage for Sachs´s roadmap shows, the UN is also a platform. It is the
ground and place for necessary global discussions – including climate change.
It´s simply a fact, for example, that the media pays more attention to climate
issues during the
yearly global climate negotiations than during any other time of the year.

It´s true that environmental
bodies generally lack the teeth that organizations like the World Trade Organization
(WTO) have. Whereas the WTO can impose punitive trade sanctions on countries
not following their rules, environmental bodies are often lacking meaningful enforcement
mechanisms. But there is no doubt, that without the global rules we do have, the plunder of our planet would
be even faster and extensive.

Especially because
global rules become the “minimum standard” on which you can build. For example,
the toxic waste trade rules - known as the Basel Convention - helped us, when
we – successfully – campaigned against electronic waste. We needed to tighten
up national legislations to succeed and the national discussions could start at
a higher level, because there was already an agreed global benchmark.

So as I go back now
to the windowless conference rooms at UN Headquarters to do my part in
pressuring our governments, please help me by joining our
movement.

Introducing myself, Daniel Mittler

I am the Political Director of Greenpeace International, heading their Political and Business Unit. I am leading a global team of specialists working on issues ranging from protecting the High Seas to disrupting dirty business models and toxic trade deals. We are responsible for internal strategy advice to campaigns and external representation at global political and business fora. I am a member of the Global Program management team and from September 2014 to June 2015 also managed the Actions and Science Units (two of my favourite parts of Greenpeace). I have also served on the senior management team of Greenpeace’s global forest campaign and on the European Executive Committee.

From 1997-2000 I was a researcher at the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London. I was looking at achieving sustainabilty in cities; mainly because I love cities. The year before, I was living in Bonn serving my country by writing press releases for the youth-wing of Friends of the Earth Germany (BUNDjugend).

Berlin, where I have lived - with a couple of breaks (in Oxford and Amsterdam) - since 2000, is now the (other) place I call home. To be precise: Kreuzberg.

I love kayaking, reading, going to the theatre and cinema, hiking, music (I still try to play the cello) - all the usual middle class stuff. I have a way too loud laugh, but at least I manage to laugh. What really excites me is making the world at the same time a more just and greener place - and creating spaces where people can get active. So, do something!